Blue Bee Cider
Blue Bee Cider is Virginia's first urban cidery, founded in 2013 in Richmond, VA, producing artisanal gluten-free ciders from heirloom Virginia apples. It serves individual consumers, Cider Club subscribers, and Virginia wholesale partners through a tasting room, e-commerce storefront, and VWDC distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Blue Bee Cider does
Blue Bee Cider is Virginia's first urban cidery, founded in 2013 in Richmond, VA, and currently operating from a new tasting room at 4811 Bethlehem Road following a 2024 relocation. The company produces artisanal ciders from rare and heirloom Virginia apples, with a product range spanning bone dry to dessert styles and including both single varietal and fruit-infused ciders (hopped, smoked, berry-infused, etc.). All ciders are naturally gluten-free, and the cidery has pioneered multiple cider styles in Virginia since founding.
The business operates four primary revenue streams. First, direct-to-consumer sales through the tasting room (Wed-Sun operating hours, capacity for up to 100 guests for private events). Second, an e-commerce storefront built on OrderPort that ships cider and merchandise to 15 states via FedEx. Third, the Cider Club — a three-tier quarterly subscription ($50 Standard, $105 VIB, $200 BIG BEE) offering exclusive releases, member discounts (10-25%), and VIP event access. Fourth, wholesale distribution through the Virginia Winery Distribution Company to Virginia ABC-licensed retail and restaurant partners across Central and Eastern Virginia.
Ownership transferred in early 2023 from founder Courtney Mailey to Taylor Benson (Head Cidermaker) and Mackenzie Smith (Assistant General Manager), both VCU graduates who had worked at the cidery since 2015. The company is a privately-held Virginia LLC (Blue Bee Cider, LLC) with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and 11-50 employees. The competitive positioning rests on heirloom apple sourcing, artisanal seasonal production, first-mover brand recognition in Virginia's urban cider segment, and community-driven event programming (Tasting Thursdays, Open Mic Poetry Nights, VA Berry Cider Jam).
Blue Bee Cider firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Bee Cider
- Legal name
- Blue Bee Cider, LLC
- Website
- https://bluebeecider.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Blue Bee Cider is Virginia's first urban cidery, founded in 2013 in Richmond, VA, producing artisanal gluten-free ciders from heirloom Virginia apples. It serves individual consumers, Cider Club subscribers, and Virginia wholesale partners through a tasting room, e-commerce storefront, and VWDC distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Bee Cider industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hard Cider Production
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cider & Perry Producers & Brands (CRADAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cider & Perry Production (AFAFAAAD), Cideries & Meadery Tasting Rooms (THAFALAI)
Keywords
Where Blue Bee Cider is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Blue Bee Cider business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tasting Room Sales: Direct cider sales through the tasting room including glasses, carafes, flights, and bottles. Additional revenue from food items including pizzas and small bites.
- Online Storefront: Direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales of packaged cider and merchandise shipped to customers in select states.
- Cider Club Subscriptions: Quarterly membership subscriptions with three tiers: Standard ($50/qtr), VIB ($105/qtr), and BIG BEE ($200/qtr). Includes quarterly shipments, discounts, VIP event access, and exclusive releases.
- Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale cider sales to retail and restaurant partners through Virginia Winery Distribution Company. Minimum orders: 1 case/keg for Richmond area, 2 items for other regions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Standard Membership – $50/quarter ($76+ value) |
| Subscription | Quarterly | VIB Membership – $105/quarter ($140+ value) |
| Subscription | Quarterly | BIG BEE Membership – $200/quarter ($279 value) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Cider Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour Pricing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Blue Bee Cider product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Bee Cider manufactures artisanal hard ciders from rare and heirloom Virginia apples, producing naturally gluten-free varieties ranging from bone dry to semi-sweet to dessert, including single varietal, hopped, smoked, and fruit-infused styles. Ciders are sold directly to consumers through a Richmond, VA tasting room and an online storefront, through a three-tier quarterly Cider Club subscription, and wholesale to Virginia retail and restaurant partners.
Product overview
Blue Bee Cider is Virginia's first urban cidery, producing artisanal ciders from heirloom Virginia apples. The core offering includes naturally gluten-free ciders ranging from bone dry to dessert, with varieties such as single varietal, hopped, smoked, and fruit-infused ciders. Products are sold through direct-to-consumer channels including an online storefront (OrderPort) and a tasting room at 4811 Bethlehem Road in Richmond, VA. The company also operates a Cider Club subscription service with three membership tiers offering quarterly shipments, discounts, and VIP event access. Wholesale distribution serves retail and restaurant partners throughout Central and Eastern Virginia via the Virginia Winery Distribution Company. The tasting room also hosts private events for groups up to 100 guests.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Blue Bee Cider Core Cider Products Artisanal hard ciders made from rare and heirloom Virginia apples, naturally gluten-free, ranging from bone dry to semi-sweet to dessert. Features single varietal apples as well as infusions such as hopped, smoked, and fruit-infused varieties, produced on a seasonal basis. Sold by the bottle, glass, carafe, or flight.
- Cider Club Membership Quarterly membership program offering four cider shipments per year, with three tiers: Standard ($50/qtr) with two 750ml bottles, VIB ($105/qtr) with six 750ml bottles, and BIG BEE ($200/qtr) with a full case of 12 bottles. Members receive discounts of 10-25% on purchases, VIP event access, exclusive releases, and tier-specific perks such as private tours and cidermaker-led library selections.
- Wholesale Distribution Wholesale cider sales to Virginia ABC-licensed retail and restaurant partners via the Virginia Winery Distribution Company, covering Richmond and surrounding counties, Hampton Roads and Coastal Virginia, and Charlottesville and surrounding counties. Order minimums: 1 case/keg for Richmond area, 2 items for other regions.
- Private Events Venue Hosting Event hosting services at the tasting room venue at 4811 Bethlehem Rd, Richmond VA, accommodating up to 100 guests. Available event types include group tours, happy hours, birthday parties, business meetings, weddings, and fundraisers, with on-site cider, beer, wine, and food offerings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Ciders are naturally gluten free
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Blue Bee Cider
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Blue Bee Cider technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Blue Bee Cider partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Virginia Winery Distribution Company (VWDC)coreBlue Bee Cider self-distributes under the umbrella of Virginia Winery Distribution Company. VWDC services Richmond and surrounding counties, Hampton Roads and Coastal Virginia, and Charlottesville and surrounding counties. Blue Bee Cider works with Virginia ABC licensed wholesale partners.
- Sagebird Cider WorksminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Buskey CiderminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Ciders from MarsminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Cider Lab SpotsyminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Sly Clyde Cider WorksminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Daring Wine CompanyminorVirginia winery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Henway Hard CiderminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Potters Craft CiderminorVirginia cidery featured at Blue Bee Cider's VA Berry Cider Jam event
- Billy PieminorPizza provider for the tasting room (gluten-free options available)
- UdderlessminorVegan pizza provider for the tasting room
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Blue Bee Cider competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bold Rock Hard Cider: Virginia-based craft cidery (Nellysford) producing a broad range of hard ciders with regional distribution and tasting rooms. Directly comparable in product, geography, and target consumer to Blue Bee Cider, though at meaningfully larger scale.
- Buskey Cider: Richmond, VA urban cidery specializing in craft ciders with a tasting room and event-driven GTM. Direct local competitor to Blue Bee Cider in the Richmond market with overlapping channels (tasting room, events, local wholesale).
- Potter's Craft Cider: Charlottesville, VA craft cidery producing dry, heritage-apple-driven ciders for on-premise and retail. Directly comparable product philosophy (heritage apples, premium positioning) and Virginia wholesale footprint.
- Sly Clyde Ciderworks: Virginia craft cidery producing traditional and experimental ciders with tasting room presence. Co-marketing partner at Blue Bee's VA Berry Cider Jam, indicating overlapping customer base and event-driven marketing approach.
- Sagebird Cider Works: Virginia craft cidery featured alongside Blue Bee at the VA Berry Cider Jam. Comparable craft positioning, Virginia regional distribution, and tasting-room/event-driven business model.
- Stem Ciders: Colorado-based craft cidery with a tasting room and DTC focus on premium, dry, food-friendly ciders. Closely comparable business model (cidery + taproom + subscriptions) and premium craft positioning, though geographically distinct.
- Henway Hard Cider: Virginia craft cidery co-marketed at Blue Bee events. Comparable product category, Virginia regional distribution, and craft cidery positioning targeting similar consumer demographics.
- Cider Lab Spotsy: Spotsylvania, Virginia craft cidery with tasting room and on-site production. Direct regional peer with overlapping customer base; co-marketing partner at Blue Bee's VA Berry Cider Jam.
Broad incumbents
- Angry Orchard: National craft cider brand owned by Boston Beer Company; mass-market hard cider across retail and on-premise. Establishes the broader competitive context and pricing benchmarks that Blue Bee's premium positioning sits above.
- Woodchuck Hard Cider: Established national craft cider brand with broad grocery and on-premise distribution. Represents the larger incumbent set against which Blue Bee differentiates on heirloom sourcing and local Virginia provenance.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Blue Bee Cider social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Bee Cider financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Bee Cider leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Blue Bee Cider funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Bee Cider M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Bee Cider
What does Blue Bee Cider do?
Blue Bee Cider manufactures artisanal hard ciders from rare and heirloom Virginia apples, producing naturally gluten-free varieties ranging from bone dry to semi-sweet to dessert, including single varietal, hopped, smoked, and fruit-infused styles. Ciders are sold directly to consumers through a Richmond, VA tasting room and an online storefront, through a three-tier quarterly Cider Club subscription, and wholesale to Virginia retail and restaurant partners.
Is Blue Bee Cider a public or private company?
Blue Bee Cider is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Blue Bee Cider founded?
Blue Bee Cider was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Blue Bee Cider based?
Blue Bee Cider is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blue Bee Cider make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tasting Room Sales are the primary driver. The others are online Storefront, cider Club Subscriptions and wholesale Distribution.
Who are Blue Bee Cider's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bold Rock Hard Cider, Buskey Cider, Potter's Craft Cider, Sly Clyde Ciderworks, Sagebird Cider Works, Stem Ciders, Henway Hard Cider and Cider Lab Spotsy. Broad incumbents are Angry Orchard and Woodchuck Hard Cider.
Does Blue Bee Cider have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Bee Cider.
What industry is Blue Bee Cider in?
Blue Bee Cider's product category is Hard Cider Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAE, Cider & Perry Producers & Brands, with a secondary code of AFAFAAAD, Cider & Perry Production. Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 2080.